Time requirements in early ranks

[SM_Travis 10]

I don't think adding the requirement would be keeping anyone from being 1st class in 6 months (2months at each rank). The problem is that since they work on these ranks at the same time, sometimes you have a scout getting 2 or 3 advancements pretty much simultaneously. We recently did the swimming portions of 1st and 2nd class. Several scouts were tenderfoot, but only needed an hour in the water to become first class. I don't see much need to make them be 2nd class for 2 months before giving them 1st class. Not doing anything positive, just discouraging the boys.

 

[Eagle92 110]

SM-T

 

That's why I liked the Skill Awards program better than the mix of requirements.

 

With the Skill Awards you focused on an entire skill set, i.e. all of today's T-2-1 Citizenship requirements would be the Citizenship SA; all the swimming T-2-1 requirements would be the Swimming SA, etc.

 

So the Scouts worked on one particular skill set in toto for the Skill Awards. I know several folks from 72-89 era than got SAs think the scouts learned better under that method.

 

But as OGE said, it's not the Scouts that are the problem, but the leaders who sign off before the scouts have actually mastered the skill.

[Oak Tree 15]

I just looked back over our troop records. I found three out of about fifty who had made First Class in less than 6 months. So I don't think that the time requirement would have much effect in practice.

 

In a way I kind of like the requirement to spend some time at each rank. It makes each step feel a little bit more substantial. But it wouldn't probably matter much to the Scouts.

 

As skeptic suggests, our troop sees the great majority of Scouts earn First Class somewhere between 8 months and two years. Roughly speaking, our generally active Scouts will earn it between 8 and 12 months, and the ones who are a bit less active will earn in during the second year. So maybe something like 6% get it earlier than 8 months (the real go-getters), 51% get it between 8 and 12 months, 30% get it during the second year, and 13% take longer than two years. I regard those last 13% as a success, in that they are hanging around the program, enjoying being Scouts, even though they aren't advancing.

 

A recent SPL was one who took over three years to get to First Class. It just took awhile, but things finally kicked in. I don't think the time requirements would have mattered much to him :-)

[bubbadump 10]

6 months, 8 months, a year who cares as long as the boy is having FUN and learning at his pace. If ya push it and go by time frames he could get Eagle by 14 or 15 if joined at 11, which is unheard of in Scouting. Highly discouraged by most, lets wait till he's almost 18.

[Eagle92 110]

Bubba,

 

Actually I know of a lot of folks who push advancement tot he point that they want their sons eagle at 14 or 15. In fact one troop I know of is very proud of the fact that most of their Eagles get it in the 14-15 y.o. range. They do neglect to mention that most quit after getting Eagle.